


Mistletoe

by steviemarie



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Female Reader, Winter Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-25
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2018-10-03 05:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10237319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steviemarie/pseuds/steviemarie
Summary: Reiner is a good wingman.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on dA, unbeta'd since original posting. 
> 
> Posting here for archival purposes.

“Please,” and despite the fact that they came to this party together and that they've remained that way since they arrived maybe an hour or so ago, because Bertholdt hasn't been paying much attention to the friend standing next to him, or anything around him really, Reiner's voice makes Bertholdt jump nervously. “Tell me that you didn't just sigh like a thirteen year old girl.”

It takes Bertholdt a second to pull himself together and honestly, he's nervous enough in general as it is so Reiner really should know by now that giving him such a shock to the system is not a good idea. ...Did he sigh though? Because he's been pretty spaced out for the last... whoever knows how long watching things around him instead of socializing around the party like he's supposed to (and probably like Reiner's been doing while he's been spaced, because there's no way that Reiner would just stand there in silence next to him). Specifically, he's been pretty invested in staring across the room.

Because, uh, that's where you are after all. And unlike him, you seem to be making the most of your first Christmas party within this company, chatting and smiling with anyone who crosses your path. And it all makes him feel like a creepy loser really, creepy because his eyes seek you out wherever you are – he doesn't even plan to do it, it just... happens and a loser because of the stabbing feeling he gets in his stomach as he watches you talk to Thomas Wagner from Human Resources. And even worse, it hurts tenfold whenever you throw your head back and laugh at whatever it is that Thomas is saying, because Bertholdt's never made you laugh like that – sure he's made you smile whenever he's stuttered at you around the office, but even he knows that's just out of pity. “I didn't.” 

“Uh-huh,” Reiner replies. “I'm sure you didn't. So... why don't you go and talk to her?” He raises his plastic cup to his mouth and sips, before shifting against the wall as if he's attempting to get comfortable. 

Seeing that makes Bertholdt feel a pang of guilt, because he knows that Reiner would be having a much better time if he was off, talking and laughing and joking with his friends, but instead he's staying with Bertholdt so that he won't be alone and he really shouldn't have to – Bertholdt is a grown man after all. “Hey,” Bertholdt mumbles, choosing to ignore his question. “You don't have to stay here, I'll be fine by myself.” 

After a pause, Reiner speaks again. “Huh? It's fine,” another pause. “So are you going to go and talk to her?”

And to be honest, if this is going to be the actual topic of the evening then Bertholdt thinks he probably would have preferred it is Reiner wasn't 'fine' and would just go. Instead of telling him that though, he chooses to play dumb and look at the floor so he doesn't have to meet Reiner's eyes. “Who?” He asks, innocently. And even though he doesn't glance over at his friend and instead, raises his head up to survey the room again (you're still talking to Thomas) he can practically feel the roll of Reiner's eyes. 

“What do you mean who?” Reiner scoffs. “The girl you've been staring at since we got here. No, wait, the girl you've been staring at since she started working here, what, six months ago now? You know.... ______, the one you're looking at right now... are you even listening to me?”

“I'm listening to you!” Bertholdt replies, looking away from you and Thomas so his eyes briefly meet Reiner's before again, he lets his gaze drop to the floor nervously. “And I'm not staring.” 

“What's the worst thing that could happen?” 

“Huh?” Bertholdt looks up again and frowns. 

“I said,” Reiner replies with a smirk. “What's the worst thing that could happen? If you go and talk to her. She's not going to scream, or ignore you.” 

“I doubt she wants to talk to me.” 

“Sure,” Reiner nods. “She doesn't want to talk to you tonight, she never talks to you ever. It's not like whenever she sees you around she stops to say hey.” 

“She says hi to everyone,” Bertholdt replies pointedly. 

“Yes,” Reiner replies, frustration evident in his voice. “But she doesn't play with her hair when she says hi to everyone else.” 

“It's a sign of unease, when people feel threatened they play with his hair.” 

“Wow,” Reiner shakes his head. “No it isn't, last time I checked it was called flirting. I should know, girls do it around me all the time.” 

“There you go, I rest my case...” Bertholdt mutters to himself under his breath.

“Hmmm? You say something?”

Crap. “No, I just said I was sure it's unease and that she's probably scared of me.” 

“Sometimes,” Reiner raises an eyebrow. “Talking to you is exactly like talking to a brick wall. Why would she be frightened of you? You're the least terrifying person ever.” Bertholdt opens his mouth to argue his case, but Reiner simply dismisses him with a wave of his hand. “And if you're going to bring up your height, I'd like to remind you of last Friday. You know, when Connie said to hey to you behind your back when you weren't expecting it. You remember what happened then don't you?”  
Bertholdt's cheeks flush red. “...Do we really have to pick that up. Besides, she didn't see that.” 

“No,” Reiner's lips curve into a smile. “But trust me, word of your panic attack spread around. She definitely heard about it, everyone did.” And as Reiner says that, Bertholdt reacts my cursing louder than the intended to. And as 'luck' would have it, that happens to be the exact moment that you chose to walk past them to get to the door. You, of course, pause to shoot them both an alarmed look and it takes all that Reiner has to stop from cracking up. And while Reiner struggles to keep his laughs in, Bertholdt emits a low, embarrassed groan. “Thought you weren't staring at her, why so embarrassed.” 

“Oh just shut up.” 

A silence falls between the pair of them, but Reiner's smirk doesn't falter as Bertholdt goes right back to staring at the ground, this time with an added red flush to his cheeks. Reiner looks up at the doorway that you just exited from, probably to go to the bathroom or something and the little bundle of green, tied with a red ribbon catches his eye. And he can't help the smirk that forms on his lips. He looks over at Bertholdt who's still looking at the ground and he sighs, shifting against the wall again. “Hey, Bertl?”

“What?” Bertholdt looks up wearily, not sure what to expect to come out of Reiner's mouth now. 

“Can we move? I'm getting uncomfortable here.”

“What? I told you you don't have to stand here with me.” 

“It's fine,” Reiner shrugs. “Let's go over there.” He points in the direction of the snack table by the door. “Should be better over there.” He stretches, pushing himself off of the wall and walking off. Bertholdt stares after him for a second, before sighing and following his friend. 

“You've just literally made me move from one side of the wall to the other.” 

“Yeah well, my back was starting to ache.” One look from Reiner lets Bertholdt know that it isn't worth arguing about, even though he doesn't see the difference between this part of the wall and the other one. And so Reiner slides himself into the section between the snack table and the door, leans against the wall and checks his cup to see if there's anything left to drink in it before he takes a sip. “Much better.”

Except... with Reiner leaning against the wall by the snack table, there's nowhere for Bertholdt to go and stand next to him and so he finds himself hovering in the doorway. “Why did you make me move?” 

Reiner doesn't answer, just takes another sip and smirks up at his best friend. “No real reason, told you I was uncomfortable.” And then his smirk gets wider. “Oh, hey _____.” 

And Bertholdt jumps and whirls round and yep, sure enough there you are right behind him. He casts a side glance at Reiner who looks all too pleased with himself, but his eyes won't meet Bertholdt, because he's still busy smirking and looking at the doorway.  
And that's when Bertholdt sees it, the little bundle of green and white all tied up with a red ribbon. He whirls round and glares at Reiner who simply smiles back at him. He did this on purpose, Bertholdt can see right through it and now he just wants to curl up into a ball and... well, die from the embarrassment. 

Mistletoe.

And of course, because of Bertholdt's reaction and because Reiner's eyes are still looking at the doorway, you turn and look too. “Oh.” 

“Oh?” Reiner asks. 

“I just... wasn't expecting something like this now, isn't everybody here too old for this dumb stuff?” You shrug and then smile. 

“R-R-Right,” Bertholdt tries to force himself to laugh, but now he just wants to die more than ever. It's one thing Reiner catching the two of you under the mistletoe, but it's quite another when you blatantly point out that kissing Bertholdt's the last thing you want to do. 

“Still, I mean... it is tradition.” You mutter and before Bertholdt can fully grasp what's going on, you're leaning up on your tiptoes and tugging at the front of his shirt to pull him down to your level. And when he realizes what he's going on, he inwardly curses himself for his ridiculous height.

And then you press your lips to his, quickly and lightly.

And Bertholdt is surprised at his own body, he's used to it not behaving the way he wants it to, he trips over his own limbs on a weekly basis, but for once it doesn't misbehave, but he doesn't seem to have any control over it when it lurches forward, puts his hands on your hips and tugs you towards him a little closer. He hears a vague sound from behind him that somewhat sounds like Reiner choking on his drink.  
Bertholdt doesn't hold onto you for long, he lets you go almost as quickly as he tugged you closer. 

And that's when the embarrassment sets in and he can't quite believe he just did that. “Uh...”

And you laugh, your cheeks are flushed and you laugh. It's not a mean, mocking laugh though it's a light and easy laugh. “Well... damn. I wasn't expecting that to happen tonight.”  
Bertholdt opens his mouth to try and find the words to say to you, but he doesn't get the chance because it's at that moment that Sasha decides to pop up behind you. “There you are,” she looks up at who you were talking to you. “Oh, hey Bertholdt.” She reaches out and grabs hold of your wrist and tugs at you, giving you no choice but to follow behind her. “I found that thing I wanted to show you.” 

“Oh,” you're surprised at the pulling, but you give into it and manage to spit out a. “Bye, I guess.” as Sasha leads you off, chattering about the mysterious thing that she just had to show you. 

“Well that happened,” Bertholdt turns round to face Reiner and the wide grin he's sporting. “I guess the decision to move was a good one.” 

“You knew, didn't you?” Bertholdt retorts, subconsciously raising his hand to touch his lips which only makes Reiner grin wider.

“Oh of course I knew. And you love me for it.” And Bertholdt is ready to berate him for getting involved in his life but before he gets the chance, Reiner's wide grin turns into a smirk and he feels something touch his back. And he yelps in surprise, as he turns round to see who touched him.

You've gotten free from Sasha's grip and there you stand, looking kind of nervous and shy. “Hey...” you clear your throat. “I was uh, just wondering if maybe you wanted to get a drink or something with me...?”

Bertholdt's eyes widen in surprise. “Now?”

You nod.

“I uh...” he reaches up to rub the back of his neck nervously. “...Yeah.” 

You smile. “Great.” Your eyes notice Reiner still watching the pair of you. “Oh, did you want to...?” 

“I'm good,” Reiner shakes his head. And Bertholdt is thankful. Reiner watches the two of you walk off side by side towards the drinks table. And he sees the moment that the two of you look at each other and smile goofily. 

He smirks to himself and makes himself comfortable against the wall to see what's going to unfold. 

He watches as Bertholdt says something to you and he watches the way you throw back your head and laugh. And then he mutters out loud to himself. “I am the best friend ever.”


End file.
